This week I finished reading through a fan translation of Bartender. Bartender is a manga that started in 2004 by Joh Araki with art by Nagatomo Kenji. I first encountered it as the 11 episode anime show from 2006. I really enjoyed the anime so I jumped at the chance to read the manga. I was very glad I did.

At first it comes across as a slice-of-life story that follows Sasakura Ryu, a young bartender in Tokyo, as he navigates the problems and odd customers that are a part of the service industry. The manga’s true story line emerges slowly as the chapters progress. We see Ryu take on new challenges in order to develop his career as he grows closer to a young woman who is the granddaughter of an elderly hotel chain owner. Ryu is dedicated to developing his skill as a bartender but that is only a means to an end. His true goal is to serve the “glass of the gods”, that is, to use his talents to offer customers a drink that will heal their soul.

The theme of the manga is people connecting with other people in little, seemingly unimportant ways that heal their wounds and improve their lives. Ryu’s father was a famous and ruthless politician that crushed countless opponents. Ryu wants to take the opposite approach to life and heal others through insightful, considerate service. Ryu is a sensitive soul gifted with strong observational skills. He’s the kind of person that notices small gestures and details of his customers and uses the knowledge to select just the right drink and start a conversation that will do them good.

The manga tells a gentle, subtle story that, while not exactly action-packed, is a joy to read. I recommend it to those who want to take a break from high adventure and follow a milder story with appealing characters.

Fathom Events brought the new movie Mazinger Z: Infinity to Austin, TX for 2 days only. I took my 2 older boys to see it in the theater. The movie was a lot of fun to see. I’m glad I took the time. I wouldn’t even have known of the event unless my friend Ollie Barder hadn’t told me.

The movie’s story takes place 10 years after the events of the Mazinger Z TV series (although they kind of ignored the full time line established by Great Mazinger). Kabuto Koji and the other characters are older and have moved on with their lives. The discovery of a massive robot that resembles the Mazinger robots is discovered in the base of Mt. Fuji. Soon after Dr. Hell’s mechanical beast army reappears and announces the return of the fearsome villain. Dr. Hell seizes control of the recently discovered Mazinger Infinity and plans to use its fearsome power to annihilate the universe and replace it with one of his own making. Kabuto Koji uses the original Mazinger Z (hidden from the public for years) and the cyborg LISA (who appeared at the Infinity’s discovery) to prevent Dr. Hell’s plans and save the universe.

The Mazinger Infinity packed the power to erase the universe and replace it with a new one of the operator’s choice. Talk about feature creep!

The animation in the movie was great. The mechanical designs from the early 70s were altered only slightly to add a more detailed look to them. The effect was great to see on the big screen. The story was an altered form of a Mazinger manga from recent years. The script was careful to pack references and brief scenes of all characters and machines from the original TV series that fans remember. The writers aimed at entertaining audiences more than scoring points with the progressive set. The result was a fun, action-packed movie with nothing to break the audience’s immersion.

I was disappointed to see the Great Mazinger and its pilot downplayed in the movie. I realize a movie has to focus pretty tightly and Mazinger Z has proved more popular than Great Mazinger over the years. Still, I remember how the Great Mazinger made its appearance in the final episode of Mazinger Z and showed itself to be a great step above Koji’s mech in terms of power and ability.

If Mazinger Z: Infinity rolls into a theater in your town you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to see it yourself.

I had the opportunity to read Blame! by Tsutomu Nihei. Blame! is a science-fiction manga that was first put out in Japan by Kodansha Comics and in English by Tokyopop. The Master Edition is now available from Vertical Comics in 6 large books. One note worth making, a more accurate translation of the title would be “Blam!” – a reference to the sound made by the hero’s main weapon. It seems the title was misunderstood, rendered as Blame! and then the title stuck.

Blame! is a far future science-fiction story about Killy’s quest to restore order to society. A great catastrophe occurred in the distant past when humanity enjoyed a level of technology far beyond what we know today. The results included the majority of humans dying, the Internet of the future (far more advanced then the one we know) becoming inaccessible, the system designed to regulate Internet access going haywire and the system of automatic machines that built and maintained cities and/or space stations also going haywire. A class of robots called Builders started building out of control and the result is the Megastructure – a truly immense structure that fills up a large portion of our solar system and consists of strata that are many stories high and separated by an almost impenetrable dense substance. Each strata of the Megastructure holds a seemingly endless city made of jumbled buildings and similar structures. There are no animals or plant life to be seen except for very few pockets where circumstances are shifted for various reasons.

Cibo joins Killy on his quest and proves to be an invaluable ally.

The Megastructure’s infrastructure is mostly damaged and the shattered remains of humanity exist in isolated pockets with no knowledge of each other. A new class of beings called Silicon Life, cybernetic creatures that vaguely resemble humans in appearance, range throughout the Megastructure and hunt humans mercilessly.

Wandering through this dystopian nightmare is Killy. Killy is a human with a cyborg body that is on a mission to find any human who still possesses the Net Terminal Genes. Finding a person with these extremely rare genes would allow authorized access to the Netsphere where the Administration (the Authority in Tokyopop’s translation) exist. If authorized by humans, the Administration could bring the damaged systems of the Megastructure back in line and restore society.

Killy, joined by human scientist Cibo, have to wander the endless city structure and contend with murderous Silicon Life, deadly robots of the Safeguard (a haywire security system that became so damaged it tries to kill all humans without Net Terminal Genes and all who try to access the Netsphere), distrustful and desperate human settlements and damaged remnants of the technological past.

Blame! is sparse in dialogue and character development. The art takes center stage and the result is a feast of surreal scenes and mind-bending landscapes. The large, empty spaces reinforce the sense of desolation and loneliness that permeates the story.

Although Nihei may not have intended it I think Blame! illustrates well the fallacy that many people currently hold about technology curing humanity’s problems. The highly advances technologies on display in Blame! couldn’t prevent the catastrophe that destroyed human society. Those technologies couldn’t put society back together again, either. The author included notes in an art book dedicated to Blame! where he shares the outcome of the story. Killy’s unshakeable perseverance and determination succeed in the end. He plants the seed that restores humanity’s control of the Megastructure and in this shows that it is people with good character who will help society – not advances in technology.

The lack of romance, character development and humor make Blame! lack wide appeal. These omissions, however, help the manga focus on its main themes and premise. Only true-blue science-fiction fans will enjoy this story. I regard it as one of the best additions to my science-fiction shelf.

After many years I’ve finally watched the original 43 episodes of Mobile Suit Gundam (1979-80). Since my teenage years I’ve known the show in detail and didn’t feel it was important to sit through the low production values and dull music. It was so much a part of my younger years that the actual episodes seemed unnecessary. After watching it I can see that I shouldn’t have put it off so long. Although it’s not without its flaws the show really is a gem of mecha animation.

Each episode offers great action and characters with wide appeal. It is rightly recogized as one of the best television shows from Tomino’s golden age. It is popular in Japan to this day. I was surprised to find it airing on Japanese television in the early 2000’s right next to current shows.

The Zaku II became an iconic design in Japan. It shows up in unexpected places because it’s so recognizable.

Mobile Suit Gundam was easier to recognize and understand for general audiences. Aura Battler Dunbine is an example of a Tomino show that, while great, was harder for many people to get into. The strong World War II influence helped the show resonate with viewers all over the world. Many uniforms, action sequences and machines were instantly understood. Some fans mention western science-fiction influences like the beam sabers borrowing from Star Wars’ light sabers and the Musai cruiser being an inverted Enterprise from Star Trek but these were minor, cosmetic things. The main aesthetic came from the European theater of World War II.

The first of the Gundam TV series had the best storyline and pacing. Tomino put a lot of thought into the One Year War taking place through the 43 episodes. Major events and players in that war were woven into the episodes seamlessly giving later writers in the Gundam Universe much to work with. Some of the conflicts like Odessa Day and the battle for A Baoa Qu were too grand for the animation budget they could muster for a television show in 1979. It’s no surprise that so many side stories and alternate retellings have been made decades later.

The Zakrello. Still goofy after all these years.

Some things about First Gundam are hard to ignore, however. The awkward mecha designs still look silly even after years of admiration. Zeon’s Dabude tank, Zakrello mobile armor, Dopp fighter plane, etc. You may think that Nagano Mamoru contributed some crazy designs to Z Gundam but they were a marked improvement over so many oddballs from Moble Suit Gundam. The music for the show was quite poor. I enjoy many 70’s anime sound tracks and the style of the music doesn’t disagree with me but Studio Sunrise’s work on the show’s soundtrack resulted in dull, annoying songs that very few people will listen to today.

Stories set in the UC Gundam setting in later years would have done well to learn from the first show. Later entries in the Gundam franchise have sometimes veered into simple-minded anti-war propaganda (Gundam 0080 comes to mind) but the first show didn’t set that tone. Mobile Suit Gundam had a pragmatic view of war that didn’t glorify it in any way but had room for the heroics of the main characters and admiration for those who would risk their lives to defend their homes.

One particual issue that has bothered me over the years was later Gundam entries’ desire to write Newtype powers out of Gundam. Although Newtype powers were a subtle influence through much of the show’s run, the final episodes make it clear that Newtype abilities are a key feature of the UC Gundam setting.

It’s a shame I waited so long to watch the original episodes of Mobile Suit Gundam. Although later UC Gundam anime seems to have gotten stuck in the One Year War the first show makes it clear why so many people like that part of the Gundam timeline.

I just finished Count to Infinity by John C. Wright (Dec. 2017). This is the final book in the Eschaton Sequence that contains:

Count to a Trillion (2012)

The Hermetic Millennia (2013)

The Judge of Ages (2015)

The Architect of Aeons (2015)

The Vindication of Man (2016)

Count to Infinity (2017)

These six novels tell the story of Menelaus Montrose who begins life in what’s left of Texas in the near future and lives on (with the help of technology) to the end of the universe. Montrose earns the enmity of Ximen del Azarchel and their rivalry, as well as their opposing philosophies, become a conflict that has a lasting effect on human and then intergalactic society.

The scope of the story is truly vast. Wright does a masterful job of increasing the scale of the story again and again over the course of six books. One of the themes of the narrative is what principles guide society in the best direction. As human society goes from post apocalypse to a shining tomorrow – and then colonies throughout space – these principles become increasingly important. The story then goes beyond humanity to advanced multiracial societies that span galactic clusters to play with the same ideas on a truly large scale. At each step the story pauses to intelligently speculate on the effects of different philosophies when they gain preeminence.

An unusual change from most of the science-fiction I’ve read was to limit space travel to light speed. It gave a different and fascinating view of how interstellar, and then intergalactic, societies would form and operate.

Similar to his Golden Age trilogy, advanced artificial intelligences become characters in the story. In some ways they view things differently than humans but are close enough to reason with people. The conversations that result from these exchanges give the reader much food for thought.

The Eschaton Sequence is highly recommended for your next venture into science-fiction. You’re in good hands with author John C. Wright.

]]>http://blog.gearsonline.net/2018/01/john-c-wrights-eschaton-sequence/feed/0Thundarr The Barbarianhttp://blog.gearsonline.net/2018/01/thundarr-the-barbarian/
http://blog.gearsonline.net/2018/01/thundarr-the-barbarian/#respondThu, 18 Jan 2018 01:33:22 +0000http://blog.gearsonline.net/?p=478Thundarr the Barbarian was an animated show by Hanna-Barbera that aired on television from 1980 to 1981. I watched it as a youngster but only vaguely remembered it. When I heard the OSR community was using it as a roleplaying setting at several conventions I picked up the DVD collection to jog my memory.

Thundarr the Barbarian

The opening credits were etched deep in my memory and were immediately familiar. I rediscovered a great action / adventure show that didn’t deserve to be forgotten. Thundarr, a barbarian warrior armed with a unique energy sword, rides with a mutant brute and a sorceress through what remains of the United States hundreds of years after a global disaster. Civilization is in ruins, remnants of advanced technology are found scattered about and magical arts have somehow returned. Thundarr and his friends travel about looking for people in need of help. They fight off mutants, monsters and sorcerers as they struggle to protect the isolated and dwindling villages that are all that remain of society.

Thundarr is clearly modeled after Robert E. Howard’s Conan the Barbarian. Thundarr’s title gives it away but he also mimics Conan’s colorful epithets when surprised and shares the famous hero’s dislike of sorcerers. Unlike Conan, Thundarr sticks to one favored weapon, his “fabulous Sun Sword”, and remains in his tribe’s furs. Conan changed his clothes to match the regions he visited and liked a good set of armor when he could get it. The principal characters of Thundarr the Barbarian always wear the same clothes but this is common in cartoons. It makes the characters easier to recognize for younger viewers.

Thundarr rides across the land with his faithful friends Princess Ariel and Ookla the mok.

Each episode is its own adventure and those adventures are good ones. The writers never forget their focus on action and don’t waste time with distractions. Although there’s comic relief peppered though each episode the story quickly gets under way and moves through a tightly-written story that doesn’t let up until the very end. The episodes seem longer than 25 minutes because so much is happening.

I appreciated the early 80’s approach to action shows. They emphasize the story and pack in plenty of action. Character development is kept to a minimum so we don’t get long scenes revealing anyone’s feelings. Comic relief is woven deftly into other scenes so we avoid long, drawn out bits that only offer dopey humor. There is no irony or sarcasm. The events and setting are played straight so the audience can take things seriously and immerse themselves in the action.

Thundarr the Barbarian is not without its faults. Hanna-Barbera was so worried about possible complaints from parents that they were afraid to depict violence. In a post apocalypse setting where a barbarian often fights for survival it’s appropriate to have some halfway realistic violence. Guns are replaced by awkward-looking laser wands, combatants kick each other instead of using the weapons in their hands and no one dies in a fight. The post apocalypse setting is quite interesting but suffers from a lack of world building. There is no explanation of how magic returned to the world or how some can use it and some can’t. We see numerous hints about a society of sorcerers but get no information about how it formed, how it operates or how it recruits. Even the genesis of Thundarr’s team is never mentioned. There is an over emphasis these days on prequels and origin stories but it would be nice to hear even a passing line about how Thundarr met his companions Ookla and Ariel.

Because of the shortcomings mentioned above, I feel Thundarr the Barbarian is ripe for a remake. Even if that remake never comes the show is more than worthy of a few hours of your time. I got my DVD collection on Amazon.com.

]]>http://blog.gearsonline.net/2018/01/thundarr-the-barbarian/feed/0Some Time Awayhttp://blog.gearsonline.net/2018/01/some-time-away/
http://blog.gearsonline.net/2018/01/some-time-away/#respondThu, 18 Jan 2018 01:20:53 +0000http://blog.gearsonline.net/?p=471I had to take some time away from blogging to help my children with their needs but I’m hoping I can find some time again for a few posts. I’ll make an effort in the months ahead to put up a few things related to the themes of this blog.

In 2005 the 50 episode Z Gundam television series from 1985 was compiled into a movie trilogy titled Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation. I grabbed the DVD set when I saw it on Amazon.com but waited to watch them until my surround sound system was working. It was worth the wait! The movies use dolby 5.1 surround and, together with the full-screen animation, make for an awesome cinematic experience.

The movies were really cool and a lot of fun to watch. They’re a real treat for Gundam fans already familiar with Z Gundam. However, I have a hard time recommending them to people who haven’t already seen the Z Gundam episodes.

The movies mix old, remastered animation from the TV series together with new animation. The new animation is both lush and brilliant. Mobile suits and ships come alive in a way I didn’t know was possible. Battle scenes in space take on new dimensions and captivate the viewer. Details of mobile suit mechanisms (like transformation) are demonstrated proving the animators cared about the material with which they were working – and the fans as well. New animation also showed viewers interesting day-to-day details of life aboard space ships. Details like navigating corridors in zero gravity and the devices provided for crew members to live more efficiently in space were added to the movies. My only complaint is the jarring difference at times between old and new animation. The difference in quality becomes more noticeable when the scenes are mixed together so thoroughly. Although I learned to accept it I doubt new viewers would be so forgiving.

The second Z Gundam movie is titled Lovers

Compressing around 21 hours into three feature films meant many things had to be cut. Sub plots, lighter moments and scenes detailing relationships between characters had to go. For a longtime Gundam fan that isn’t a problem but for someone new to Z Gundam it could give wrong impressions. I wouldn’t doubt that a westerner who knew nothing about Gundam, after seeing these three movies, would think Z Gundam is light on plot and character development. Also, the relentless pace of action scenes, although incredible to see in the movies, can tire a person out. That’s why I wouldn’t show the Z Gundam movies to someone not already familiar with UC Gundam.

One thing that was interesting to see was the emphasis in the movies on the relationship between Emma Sheen and Captain Henken. The original TV series didn’t give enough time to this character relationship and the death of Captain Henken at the end suffers as a result. The movies take time in several scenes to show not only Henken’s pursuit of Emma’s affections but also Emma’s grudging acceptance. This makes Henken’s sacrifice towards the end of the story more moving.

The third Z Gundam movie is titled Love is the Pulse of the Stars

The movies show a radically different ending for Camille Bidan, Z Gundam’s main character. The TV series ends with him suffering so much trauma that he’s a mental vegetable. After 20 years the creators decided to give Z Gundam’s dedicated hero a happy ending with his love and childhood friend, Fa. Although I’m usually a purist on details of plot and theme, I found myself accepting this change easily. After 20 years Camille deserves a break.

Every mecha fan eventually reaches a point where he (or she) contemplates Tomino’s classic sci-fi anime shows. The potent concoctions of drama and tragedy mixed with epic casts of characters and intricate political maneuvers draw so many of us. After the roller coaster ride is finished we’re left wondering what to make of it all. Why did Camille Bidan, after so heroically defending his friends, have to end up as a vegetable at the end of Zeta Gundam? Why did everyone – I mean everyone – have to die in Dunbine and Ideon? This article is one mecha fan’s attempt to explain what Tomino may have been trying to get across to his viewers. Although what follows is the speculation of a fan from the wrong side of the Pacific Ocean I don’t believe that themes in anime are impossible for non-Japanese to understand. I’ll need to discuss some ideas from Japanese culture but what anime fan isn’t also a student of Japanese culture?

Characters from Legendary God Giant Ideon.

There’s Only One Tomino

First let me clarify what I mean by “classic” Tomino sci-fi anime. Tomino Toshiyuki is a name well-known to most anime fans. He has been involved in a great many anime projects since he began his career in 1964. Mecha fans remember him best for his many science-fiction anime shows. To this day, many fans in North America call him “Mr. Gundam” for his brilliant work on the first several Gundam anime shows. During the 70s and 80s Tomino produced and/or directed a lot of science-fiction anime for television. His trademark during that period of his career were shows with large casts, intricate political situations and bleak stories where the heroes battled against superior forces to save the lives of countless civilians. These stories so often ended in tragedy for characters the audience had grown to love that some Tomino fans call it his “kill ’em all heyday.”

Despite the harsh stories he told the anime from Tomino’s classic period remain popular today. The Gundam franchise is constantly trying to recapture the magic of Zeta Gundam. Toys and models from Mobile Suit Gundam, Dunbine and Ideon still sell well today – decades after the shows finished their runs on television. With so many obvious similarities between these classic sci-fi shows it’s easy to discern Tomino’s classic style. But why did Tomino adopt that style? Why did he tell such bleak stories? Why did he want us to learn the details of the complicated relationships between so many characters? Why so many factions that created such nuanced politics in shows that were targeted primarily at younger boys? Above all, why did we have to see such tragic deaths after tuning in to the heroes’ fortunes for 50 episodes?

This clip shows the death of King Foizan, Elle’s father.

A Japanese IdeaTomino wanted to stress the importance of a very Japanese idea: community. By community I mean the values that hold a large group of people, a society, together. Unity, concern for others, self restraint, cooperation – these are the values that lay at the heart of classic Tomino anime. This may seem like a rather abstract set of ideas but they tie together neatly when you consider the fact that the Japanese hold these as traditional values. The Japanese language has many words that mean types of relationships between people (both individuals and groups). Several of these words specifically refer to harmonious social relationships. Words like these in everyday use make this concept more concrete to Japanese people. It was a Japanese audience that Tomino was writing for. In the 70s and 80s not much anime was officially exported from Japan so the animation studios weren’t thinking about how their shows would play for international audiences. A lot of anime of that time stressed the importance to boys of learning these values but Tomino wanted to show what happened when a society lost sight of these lessons.

It Takes a Village to Tell a StoryA large cast of characters is necessary for demonstrating these themes. Unlike a lot of the stories we see, Tomino wasn’t concerned with a character learning to value his or her own circle of family and friends. In order to deal with the issues affecting a society a story needs to show a decent sampling of that society. Tomino’s classic anime featured a group of heroes that helped the audience get a handle on things. However, unlike most anime, Tomino showed us a really large number of characters. The heroes had brothers, parents, friends, etc. Also, a lot of time was spent on the villains so that the viewer was seeing both sides of the conflict. Not only that, but the villains’ family members, friends and acquaintances were also brought into the story. As the story progresses the audience sees how events affect everyone. This stresses the idea that no one is an island. Every decision, every action sends out waves that are felt by everyone. A small cast of characters would make it impossible to see this.

Characters from Mobile Suit Gundam.

Shades of Gray

Western fans have praised Tomino for avoiding the simplicity of good vs. evil in his tales. They point to examples like Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) and say that there are no heroes or villains, only shades of gray. As enticing as this sounds it is untrue. Tomino anime had heroes and villains but he didn’t represent them in simple lights. Mobile Suit Gundam is a good example of this. The Principality of Zeon was murdering whole colonies full of people, dropping those colonies on Earth to create disasters that killed countless civilians and using nuclear weapons in battle. They were villains. The Earth Federation was working to stop these atrocities so the Federation were the heroes of the story. To his credit, Tomino showed us Zeon’s desire for freedom from the Federation’s oppressive government so the situation was not as simple as black and white. Still, the story had heroes and villains.

In classic Tomino anime it’s important to see what makes people villainous or heroic. The Zabis, the ruling family of Zeon, by declaring Zeon an archduchy were returning to a medieval model for society that placed them squarely on top. They placed their own desires before those of the people of Zeon. In their ruthless military tactics they killed many thousands of people without a care and harmed Earth’s natural environment. In their propaganda they declared spacenoids innately superior to people living on Earth. What made Zeon evil was they disregarded the good of other people in their race for their own selfish desires. They were working against the values of unity, cooperation and self-restraint. Zeon’s evil manifested in the fighting that occurred within Zeon’s ranks. Kishiria and Gihren, both members of the Zabi family and leaders in the military, hated each other and wasted resources and lives in their struggle to be on top. Char worked from within to assassinate Zeon’s leadership so he could get revenge on the Zabi family for killing his father. The Federation didn’t have infighting like this. Tomino was showing us the severe disunity within Zeon to emphasize their evil nature.

Camille’s final battle in Z Gundam episode 50.

The Federation’s government, although not nearly as bad as Zeon’s government, also disregarded the values of community. The Federation saw those living on Earth as a kind of elite that deserved a better life. The Federation found it easy to ignore the needs of people living in space colonies. The One Year War of Mobile Suit Gundam was a terrible ordeal for humanity but it wasn’t all Zeon’s fault. The Federation and Zeon shared fault for the situation. The heroes aboard the White Base didn’t want to extend the Federation’s superiority. They fought because Zeon’s evil clearly needed to be stopped. The White Base’s crew were mostly from space colonies and were heroes because they wanted to see society return to a proper balance where those on Earth and in space received equal treatment.

Keep It TogetherTomino was constantly using disunity to make clear who the villains were. In Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (1985) the AEUG held together well but the villains were an uneasy alliance of the Jupiter fleet, Axis, the Federation and the Titans. Haman Kahn, Paptimus Scirocco and Basque Ohm, each a leader of one of the villainous factions, worked together but were constantly looking for their chances to backstab each other. Aura Battler Dunbine (1983) showed a tight alliance of heroes but terrible discord among the villains. Neal Givens, Elle Hammu and Queen Lapana, leaders of the resistance, cared deeply for each other and never flagged in their loyalty. Drake Luft, King Bishott and Shot Weapon, leaders in Drake’s invading army, were all planning treachery against each other.

Characters from Aura Battler Dunbine.

A Death in the FamilyThe many tragic deaths of well-loved characters in classic Tomino anime happened for a reason. The tragedies that occurred on both sides of the conflicts we saw in Tomino’s stories brought home the consequences of ignoring the values of community. Tomino was trying to tell us that, ultimately, the results of turning our backs on our community and pleasing our own desires is the loss of loved ones. All people have many bonds with others. Siblings, parents, children, relatives, friends, coworkers – all suffer when someone dies. Each of the characters we see die in Tomino anime had those connections. The conflicts that resulted from people losing sight of the importance of others lead to many losses. The most heart-rending of these on-screen tragedies was probably the conclusion of Legendary Giant-God Ideon (1980). In the grand battle that tears through the Terrans and Buff Clan we see children killed by soldiers as they try to seize control of the Solo Ship. Tomino didn’t pull any punches.

Powers of the MindThe final point to discuss is the mind powers that showed up in many classic Tomino anime shows. Aura Battler Dunbine (1983) had aura power, Mobile Suit Gundam and Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam had newtype abilities. Legendary Giant-God Ideon had the Id. Other shows had mind powers by other names. Tomino used mind powers in his classic anime to emphasize the grief that ensues when people forget their connection to society. In the anime, mind powers were a newly discovered phenomenon that allowed people to better connect with others. Newtype ability and aura power allowed people to sense others at great distances. It allowed insight into the emotions felt by others. These new abilities offered the promise of a new era. An age where people would have additional tools to help them understand each other. An age where it was harder for less outgoing people to be ignored. Sadly, in the anime stories where these mind powers surface people find ways of using them for war. Aura powers helped aura battlers move more quickly and win in battle so people with these abilities were recruited as pilots and sent to fight. Initially, newtype abilities helped people piloting mobile suits avoid enemy fire. Advanced technology let newtypes control sophisticated weapons like remote weapons (bits and funnels). People began to fear newtypes and what should have been a boon to society was instead used to tear it apart with distrust and more destructive fighting.

An Enduring LegacyThe popularity of Tomino’s classic science-fiction anime stories will endure for many years to come. The thoughtfulness he poured into his carefully constructed stories show through so well that their appeal spans the world. Understanding the themes he wanted to impart to his viewers helps us understand why he used the techniques he did. The next time you encounter a fan that scratches his or her head over some of the details of Tomino’s classic style perhaps you can help them to see what Tomino was probably getting at. If my speculations have missed the mark or if you have something to add feel free to leave a comment and speak your mind. I’d like to thank the Austin Otaku for valuable help in writing this piece.

Knights follow Shio as he pilots the Sirbine on his way to attack the Black Knight's fortress

The Tale of Neo Byston Well (1988) is a 3 episode OAV that takes place 700 years after the events of Aura Battler Dunbine (1983). This time the story takes place entirely in Byston Well as no one has access to the Aura Road that was used so much in the first Dunbine story. I first heard about the Dunbine OAV when I was a teenager and have been waiting many years to see it. My enthusiasm was dampened somewhat when I saw that the subtitles, prepared by a group called Freebird, were truly awful. English wasn’t even their second language. My limited understanding of Japanese helped me make sense of the awkward subtitles well enough to feel like I wasn’t missing much of what was being said.

The Tale of Neo Byston Well is one of those OAVs that suffered from a limited budget. The story, although quite different in nature from Aura Battler Dunbine, was interesting and the artwork was very good. The lack of budget showed in the quality of animation. Many scenes consisted of still images being moved slowly across the screen. It wasn’t annoying so much as sad. Mechanical designs as good as the Sirbine and new Zwarth deserve better treatment.

Shio and Remuru, the two main characters of the story. The Fiorene Silky Mau sits on Shio's shoulder.

Neo Byston Well took a very different look at Byston Well than the first Dunbine story in 1983. Aura Battler Dunbine showed us complicated human politics in a fantasy setting with medieval technology. The world of Byston Well was changing as new technology was slowly being worked into human society. The Dunbine OAV takes us to the Byston Well of 700 years later. The new technology that was being integrated 700 years earlier has been forgotten and human society has even lost much of the medieval technology it had before. Neo Byston Well has a strong fantasy feel. Humans scrounge most of what they have and wonder at the mysteries left behind by the people of past ages. The two aura battlers seen in the OAV reflect this fantasy feel with a more ornate and organic look. This time, the aura battlers look like they were hand-crafted by wealthy courts rather than pulled off of an assembly line like in the Dunbine TV series. Since aura battlers were always constructed from the body parts of the immense wild animals of Byston Well, the OAV style actually looks more appropriate than the style of the TV series.

The aura battler Sirbine appears to be a descendant of the Dunbine.

In the midst of this later age, a warlord called the Black Knight has the only functioning aura battler, a new model Zwarth, and is working to expand his domain. When he attacks the small city of Baran-Baran in an attempt to steal their rumored treasure he makes an enemy of Shio. Shio is a sort of far-ranging hunter scavenger who becomes a warrior when he sees that the Black Knight has captured Princess Remuru and decimated Shio’s favorite trading post. Before long Shio discovers that the treasure hidden in Baran-Baran is a second aura battler, the Sirbine. With the help of a fiorene named Silky Mau, Shio takes the fight to the Black Knight. During a siege of the Black Knight’s fortress by Shio’s new army we discover that a mysterious figure who has been supplying the Black Knight with advanced technology is a cursed character from the first Dunbine story who plans to use ancient missiles to open the Aura Road.

Although the animation quality suffers and the subtitles are poor I still enjoyed The Tale of Neo Byston Well. The character and mecha designs were inspired. The artwork for settings and creatures was top-notch. Although quite different, the new look at Byston Well increased its appeal for me. This OAV is only available via download but it’s worth it for those who have seen the Dunbine TV series.